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Post by adamalterlago on Mar 8, 2024 1:09:56 GMT -5
This is way more quiet and R&B leaning than I thought from early reviews and the first single. Surprisingly, it doesn’t necessarily feel like a big Max Martin pop album which is what I thought we were getting. I actually think Imperfect You could be a massive hit if marketed right. This is one of those albums that hits after a few listens. Like I know it’s good but needs proper digestion.
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Ling-Ling
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Post by Ling-Ling on Mar 8, 2024 1:33:07 GMT -5
It's... pleasant. Nothing awful here, but not a lot of highlights. She continues to rest on pretty when it comes to vocals and the overall effect is dull and passionless.
Love the Timbaland-lite production on "True Story." "Don't Wanna Break Up Again," "The Boy Is Mine, "Supernatural" and "Yes, And?" are the other stronger tracks for me. The rest is inoffensive filler. "Bye" almost got me there, but the hook is really bad. And "We Can't Be Friends" could have been something if she wasn't sleepwalking through it vocally.
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Post by adamalterlago on Mar 8, 2024 1:37:35 GMT -5
It's... pleasant. Nothing awful here, but not a lot of highlights. She continues to rest on pretty when it comes to vocals and the overall effect is dull and passionless. Love the Timbaland-lite production on "True Story." "Don't Wanna Break Up Again," "The Boy Is Mine, "Supernatural" and "Yes, And?" are the other stronger tracks for me. The rest is inoffensive filler. "Bye" almost got me there, but the hook is really bad. And "We Can't Be Friends" could have been something if she wasn't sleepwalking through it vocally. Supernatural is that girl. It’s weird bc I thought the same thing with We Can’t Be Friends upon initial listen but upon relistening, I think the subdued approach kind of works. This album is way more intimate, lyrically and vocally, than I imagined.
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Post by The Brazilian Guy 🇧🇷 on Mar 8, 2024 1:38:56 GMT -5
I really like this on first listen… not at all what I was expecting, but I have to say I’m pleasantly surprised. “Bye” is a great starter and “The Boy is Mine” is fire! “Supernatural” is a bop… sounds a hit single to me. “We Can’t Be Friends” sounds very Robyn-esque… I like it as well. Overall a very cohesive record!
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Dylan :)
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Post by Dylan :) on Mar 8, 2024 1:43:01 GMT -5
Not what I was expecting but in a good way! I really enjoyed it. Supernatural was easily the highlight, WHY wasn’t that the lead single?! Yes And, We Can’t Be Friends (the chorus is a bit too basic) and The Boy Is Mine are probably the weakest songs but I still enjoyed them. I feel the length was actually perfect. Everything started to sound samey by the end so I think any longer and it would have got boring
I like the fact that there are only four explicit songs, and it isn’t so sexual for the most part as I felt Positions and Sweetener were. Also, no “yuh”s was extremely welcome. I loved the use of key changes, excessive harmonies and the production was really good!
EDIT: On second listen, I definitely feel the start of the album is the strongest part. She sounds more alive and more interested. I also feel the production is strongest then. It gets a little tired towards the end but still holds up
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Active Aggressive
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Post by Active Aggressive on Mar 8, 2024 2:19:00 GMT -5
I listened to clips and...glad it's not a house album! Also, I love that she is going deeper into R&B and pop/r&B hybrid without doing a whole album of lazy trap beats. Very excited to hear this in full but I probably won't until Monday when my vinyl arrives. Wasn't expecting the ode to Robyn but hey, Max produced Robyn's first hit, so I guess it's kind of a full-circle moment? Reviews for the album seem strong, so far.
After watching the Zane Lowe interview (which was surprisingly light but then I realized that Ariana is probably pretty guarded these days), it sounds like she deliberately focused on the lyrics and production and was not keen on having big vocals throughout but deploying them intentionally. I'm cool with that.
Edit: Whoa, at a 93 on Meteoritic (out of 4 critics) but still!
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ampersand
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Post by ampersand on Mar 8, 2024 2:26:59 GMT -5
I need to let the album sit more, but right now I think it’s just there. She seems strangely disconnected from this material. I feel like “eternal sunshine” (the track) approaches something like genuine emotion, but the line about SpongeBob was a choice lol.
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Post by adamalterlago on Mar 8, 2024 2:48:02 GMT -5
Supernatural.
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Post by Marie Osmond Is A Fucking Cunt on Mar 8, 2024 2:57:45 GMT -5
OMG this album is PURE AURAL SEX!
"The Boy Is Mine" makes me want to go to Home Depot and pickup someone's husband and try him out. TBIM needs to be a single.
"Supernatural" is EVERYTHING.
"Ordinary Things" makes me want to dance on the bed.
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SHOOTER
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Typical of those in power to stay worried about the *wrong* shit.
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Post by SHOOTER on Mar 8, 2024 3:11:33 GMT -5
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elementd5
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Post by elementd5 on Mar 8, 2024 4:14:04 GMT -5
Only at the title track so far, and this is an absolutely smooth bop vibe. The R&B-lite works for me. I can see myself playing this on a lovely spring day.
Update: total vibe. The only songs I don’t like on first listen are imperfect and hated you. Otherwise, it’s a solid 11 track album to vibe to.
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Forever Winter
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Post by Forever Winter on Mar 8, 2024 4:40:53 GMT -5
Loving this so far. The initial stand outs for me are: bye, supernatural, true story, and we can't be friends
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schnetzka
2x Platinum Member
The album that never ends... I mean 'THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT: THE ANTHOLOGY' out now!
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Post by schnetzka on Mar 8, 2024 7:32:01 GMT -5
Highlights for me are "bye", "the boy is mine", "yes, and?", "we can't be friends (wait for your love)", and "i wish i hated you".
Overall, it is a good album but I need her to switch it up with the production. Also, to everyone saying if you enjoyed 'sweetener', you'll enjoy this album... I hear nothing similar between the two lol. And I am glad because I was not a fan of 'sweetener'.
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PGriffin
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Post by PGriffin on Mar 8, 2024 7:40:52 GMT -5
I'm a casual fan and this isn't what I was expecting based on yes, and? It feels out of place on the album. Her vocals seem "lazy"
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Post by @DiegoMarcondes_ on Mar 8, 2024 7:50:05 GMT -5
It's her best album since DW in my opinion. I don't like that trap style from "Positions" and "TUN", and "Sweetener"... what is this?
On this new album, I miss some high notes. My faves by now: "yes, and", "true story" (yesss, high notes), "supernatural", "we can't be friends","imperfect for you", "the boy is mine" and "bye".
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Soundcl🕤ck
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Post by Soundcl🕤ck on Mar 8, 2024 8:19:38 GMT -5
House music? lmao. I likeeed it, it's really a solid album. the boy is mine, bye, supernatural, we can't be friends are the highlights for me, I'd even put yes, and? there...but ngl, I expected at least ONE Ariana/Max POP BOP. Nothing from this album screams big hit for me and that's fine I guess, fantasize really had the potential to be one of her biggest hits it's such a shame.
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JayBoozer
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Post by JayBoozer on Mar 8, 2024 8:52:03 GMT -5
House music? lmao. I likeeed it, it's really a solid album. the boy is mine, bye, supernatural, we can't be friends are the highlights for me, I'd even put yes, and? there...but ngl, I expected at least ONE Ariana/Max POP BOP. Nothing from this album screams big hit for me and that's fine I guess, fantasize really had the potential to be one of her biggest hits it's such a shame. Not sure what you’re talking about when supernatural is right there.
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bat1990
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Post by bat1990 on Mar 8, 2024 10:04:38 GMT -5
After two listens (so far) all of the album has clicked for me except "The Boy is Mine." I can't get over the monotone chorus of that one, I wish it had more melody to it.
Also, I hear similarities to Tinashe on some of the atmospheric R&B tracks.
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jenglisbe
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Post by jenglisbe on Mar 8, 2024 10:13:55 GMT -5
A lot of the songs are fine, but also short and kind of unremarkable. I prefer my Ariana (and most pop stars in general) in either pop jam mold or retro soul jam mold. Most of these songs just feel...there. No big melodies, no big production.
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God
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Post by God on Mar 8, 2024 10:25:17 GMT -5
Thank u next ariana Imperfect made me smile though!
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Peterawr
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hi
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Post by Peterawr on Mar 8, 2024 11:05:50 GMT -5
Listened this morning, and nothing really stood out as bad. I’m going to listen at the gym in a bit.
I remember liking supernatural, we can’t be friends, the boy is mine, and still loving yes and
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andrebra
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Post by andrebra on Mar 8, 2024 11:19:11 GMT -5
Very confused at the people saying there are no more big hits on here. If they play their cards right “True Story” OR “Supernatural” could be HUGE.
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HEADOFTHEPACK
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Post by HEADOFTHEPACK on Mar 8, 2024 11:25:20 GMT -5
Seeing this described in reviews as slow, spacey, silky, loungey... and that's generally correct imo.
Just did my second listen. I wish she would push a bit harder vocally sometimes, a couple of these songs are really asking for a big moment that never comes, but overall I'm really into it. It's closer to TUN that any of her other albums sonically with a touch of Sweetener, which I assume is because of Max/Ilya.
Totally get why yes, and? was the first single, it's the only song here that sticks out even if it isn't the strongest - but that could be because it's literally the loudest ha. Not indicative of the album at all though.
Expecting (hoping for) something that pushes her forward a bit more next time, whenever that is. There's touches of a lot of her other songs here and I think she's pretty much lapped herself thematically and sonically.
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kimberly
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Post by kimberly on Mar 8, 2024 11:26:29 GMT -5
calling in to tell you all that the boy is mine is that girl. Thank u next ariana Imperfect made me smile though! right? it's so playful.
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avamaxstan
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Post by avamaxstan on Mar 8, 2024 11:30:45 GMT -5
So, is she planning on also releasing that house album we kept hearing about…?
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avamaxstan
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Post by avamaxstan on Mar 8, 2024 11:33:06 GMT -5
The only other single I hear is Supernatural. Feels like a sweetener without the high points :(
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HEADOFTHEPACK
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Post by HEADOFTHEPACK on Mar 8, 2024 11:48:31 GMT -5
I could see the boy is mine and/or supernatural doing well. Are there any smashes here? IDK. Not everything has to be!
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joshtheking
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Post by joshtheking on Mar 8, 2024 12:33:53 GMT -5
yall are underrating 'bye'. a smash waiting to happen
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PerPlexied
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Post by PerPlexied on Mar 8, 2024 13:12:40 GMT -5
What did melody, tempo, and personality do to this woman that she actively avoids them?
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edward
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Post by edward on Mar 8, 2024 13:28:07 GMT -5
I really wished fantasize was on this album, it would've been such a highlight. But overall this album is solid, definitely not disappointed like when positions was released.
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